


Miss Me

by notinmyvocab



Category: Sweeney Todd (2007)
Genre: Canon Related, Jealousy, Manipulation, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:19:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27579719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notinmyvocab/pseuds/notinmyvocab
Summary: She poisoned herself. Arsenic from the apothecary 'round the corner. I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen to me.
Relationships: Lucy Barker/Sweeney Todd
Kudos: 6





	Miss Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [msariadneoliver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/msariadneoliver/gifts).



> Based on a prompt from msariadneoliver! It's a bit short and might be a bit rough because it's been a while since I've written anything worth posting.

Arsenic: a chemical element. A metalloid. A high enough dose will lead to multi-system organ failure.

Lucy Barker knew this as she rolled the little bottle of deadly powder in her palm. How easy it was to obtain; how stupidly easy. All she had to do was go around the corner and speak to the apothecary and he sold her the poison without a second thought. Lucy wanted to reprimand him for not asking questions; for not refusing to sell her the arsenic. But that would have defeated the purpose of her purchase.

There was a soft knock at the barbershop door. She didn’t even look to see who it was, for she already knew. Who else but her busybody landlady? 

“Brought tea for you, love,” Mrs. Eleanor Lovett said as she came in through the door, balancing a tea tray on one hand. Her tone was light with false affection. 

It was no secret to Lucy that Mrs. Lovett wasn’t her biggest fan. She didn’t know why, though. Was it something she had said? Something she had done? “Mrs. Lovett,” Lucy started, “would you miss me if I were gone?”

The question startled Mrs. Lovett. It was the first words Lucy had spoken since she had been swept away to the judge’s party a week ago. “Now whatever do you mean by that?” Mrs. Lovett asked, walking over to the other woman. The woman who had everything: husband who cared for her, a beautiful daughter, all men fawning over her. She had noticed that Lucy hadn’t been so cheerful as of late. And how could she be with her husband shipped off to Botany Bay? But it wasn’t the end of the world for Lucy, couldn’t she see that? 

Mrs. Lovett looked down at Lucy’s hands and saw the small vial of arsenic that rested in her palm. “Oh love,” she tutted. “Now you aren’t going to go on and do something foolish, are you?”

“Would you miss me if I were gone?” Lucy repeated instead of answering Mrs. Lovett’s question.

Mrs. Lovett didn’t reply at first, actually thinking about her answer. She brought a hand to Lucy’s cheek. 

So Lucy’s husband was gone. That didn’t mean this was a solution. Didn’t Lucy see how fortunate she was? She had a judge willing to bend the law for her and her daughter! Nellie would never be so lucky. No, instead she was left with a husband who could barely get out of bed and didn’t dare make love to her, instead settling for complaining about his gout.

Times were getting harder, but not for Lucy Barker. Never for Lucy Barker, the woman who held the moon on a string.

“No,” Nellie answered. 

For a brief moment, Lucy didn’t seem surprised at all. But then, her eyes grew wide as she finally processed what the landlady said. “What?”

“I wouldn’t miss you. And truthfully, I don’t think many people would. Dear Benjamin would of course, but he’s gone and gotten himself locked up, hasn’t he?” Nellie continued to caress Lucy’s cheek, seeing the tears make her blue eyes sparkle like sapphires. “You needn’t be so upset by the truth, love. I’m only being honest with you. ‘Course that doesn’t mean you go and do something you’ll regret.”

There was a short pause, and Lucy pursed her lips slightly. “I suppose… though it’s difficult to regret the right choice.”

“I s’ppose that is true.” Nellie dropped her hand. “Well, don’t let the tea get cold.” She shot a glance to baby Johanna who was sleeping peacefully in her crib, and left. Poor darling. To suffer without a mother wouldn’t be easy. But Johanna would make do, wouldn’t she?

Once outside, Nellie paused a moment at the doorstep, trying not to let herself smile.


End file.
